


in no position to resist

by flyingthesky



Series: Positions [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Aftercare, BDSM, Community: kink_bingo, Dom/sub, Flogging, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-05
Updated: 2011-09-05
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:53:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21514093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flyingthesky/pseuds/flyingthesky
Summary: Merlin is inordinately fond of the flogger, and while Arthur doesn't like it anywhere near as much as Merlin, he likes it quite a bit.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Positions [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1543678
Kudos: 5





	in no position to resist

There are quite a few things that fall into place once they've figured out what it is they're doing that mostly involve the balance of Merlin's participation in sex and both of them getting what they need now that they know how to work Merlin's general disinterest in sex into what they do. Arthur thinks this works better anyway, thinks that Merlin tying him down onto the bed will never get old.

Tonight Arthur's wrists are tied to the base of the bed, his forehead resting on his clasped hands as he kneels on the floor. It's not uncomfortable—at least not more so than any of the other weird positions Merlin's done him up in—but Arthur has to wonder why Merlin's chosen it. He can't think of a reason for it, but when Arthur hears a rustle and then the sharp flick of a flogger against air, he knows. Merlin is inordinately fond of the flogger, and while Arthur doesn't like it anywhere near as much as Merlin, he likes it quite a bit. Arthur's not entirely sure anyone could like the flogger as much as Merlin anyway. He wields it like it's made of magic, and Arthur's not always entirely certain that Merlin doesn't imbue a little magic in these things.

They don't talk about the magic often, because it's not something Merlin knows a lot about, but it's always there and Arthur doubts that Merlin quite knows how much of what he touches is graced with accidental magic.

As usual, the first time the flogger comes down across his back, Arthur flinches. It isn't because it hurts, exactly, more that it's unexpected and that always catches him off guard the first time. Merlin waits a moment, fingers running lightly over the pink irritations his work have created, and then Arthur shudders. That always seems to be Merlin's signal, because he always starts building his rhythm after that. The hits become regular and Arthur relaxes into the stinging and the heat and falls into that weird space where he can't quite tell you what was happening or what he did. It feels like floating, and Arthur sometimes wishes he could stay there forever. He knows he can't, though, because he and Merlin both have lives and important things to do, but feeling that way is just so completely _freeing_ that Arthur savors every time he ends up there.

He doesn't know how long it is before Merlin's loosening the restraints on his wrists, how long before Merlin's smoothing his hair back and pressing a kiss to his forehead, because Arthur can't tell time when he's in that space he gets into. Absently, Arthur notes that his back stings and his knees ache, which makes him eternally grateful for Merlin. Merlin, he thinks, knows what Arthur's limits are and how to handle them even when Arthur himself doesn't—which is frequently. 

It's not that he doesn't register the pain when he's floating on his own personal high, because he does. He registers that things hurt, but it doesn't particularly matter to him, because it feels like it's happening to someone else. So he knows the flogger is coming down and at first it hurts and Arthur can really _feel_ the flogger biting into his skin, but then it fades out and it's like Arthur's somewhere else while his body is being flogged.

"You did good," Merlin is saying as he helps Arthur stand, "You did really good. Come on, let's get you cleaned up."

And then Merlin's voice pulls him back into himself, like always, and Arthur is Arthur again. Well, Arthur settles into being Arthur again. Sometimes it takes a while for him to settle back in and he's not quite himself while Merlin's cleaning his back up. Sometimes the sting of antiseptic brings him back, pain like a grounding spot.

But he always comes back to being himself, even if he sometimes wishes that he wouldn't.


End file.
